Why should I pay? Exploring the determinants influencing smartphone users’ intentions to download paid app

•Core self-evaluations (CSEs) explore smartphone users’ intention to purchase paid apps and their willingness to participate in the coproduction of apps.•Online consumer conformity on smartphone users’ attitudes and behavior toward app purchase.•Social identity had a strong intention to purchase paid apps and were more willing to provide their usage feedback to the distributors of apps.•Positive emotion had significant positive effects on trust.•Trust had significant positive effects on the intention to purchase paid apps and willingness to engage in coproduction. The objectives of this study are to investigate (1) the positive effects of smartphone users’ core self-evaluations (CSEs), online consumer conformity, and the social identity of their emotions, (2) the effects of their positive emotions on their trust, and (3) the effects of their trust on their intention to purchase paid apps and willingly engage in co-production. A questionnaire was employed to examine the relationship between the users’ CSEs, online consumer conformity, and social identity, on the one hand, with their intention to purchase paid apps and willingly engage in co-production on the other hand. The findings were as follows: (1) CSE, online consumer conformity, and social identity positively affected the users’ emotions, (2) positive emotions had a significantly positive effect on user trust, and (3) trust had significantly positive effects on the users’ intention to purchase paid apps.